Sina Weibo (microblog) editors have been busy deleting posts relating to Ai Weiwei since yesterday. (See our roundup of Ai Weiwei coverage here.) One user reported that she reposted a message about Ai Weiwei over 200 times and it was deleted each time.

However, some netizens have come up with a phrase, “Love the Future,” (爱未来 Ai Weilai) which looks and sounds very similar to Ai Weiwei’s name (艾未未). Many netizens have immediately adopted this new coded phrase to post on Sina Weibo as a form of protest; many of those “love the future” messages have also been quickly deleted.

CDT took screenshots of some of these “Love the Future” messages as examples. The majority of participants simply write, “I love the future!” Many include a photo of Ai Weiwei. Selected translations of other messages are below:

– “We love the future, not for any one person, but because we hope the future will be even better. We love it here, and we hope it can become better.”

– “It’s not that I really love the future. It’s that it hasn’t appeared. When I think about my own study, work, etc, and what I have to do tomorrow, I suddenly feel I have no power, and to think about it is no use.”

– “To love the future is to love yourself. Fill the microblogs with love. Fill the motherland with love. Donate your love to the future of the motherland.“

– ”I really don’t dare believe that in this society, even love for the future can disappear.”

– “Yes! We should be brave to live our life, love the future !! @Classic english quotation: Love deeply and ardently, even if there is pain, but this is the way to make your life complete.”

– “Love please return: I’ve just changed my screen name to “Love, please return”, for love. The love for the future.”

– “Now I understand at last: compared to the boundless life, any action is just as insignificant as the crawling of a ladybug in the corner. However “insignificance” is not that bad. Life is short, I want to be happy despite its insignificance. April is coming, spring is coming, I am going to crawl happily. (Love the future)”

– “You are far beyond an artist. Love the future…(Candle)”

– “We love the future, but the future disappeared, the future is in prison, the future is gone. RT Little Bread: The most frightening fact of this country is not that the government machinery is doing whatever it wants, but the common man who is telling you: this country is like this, you cannot change it, you just need to get used to it. These people could be your classmates, your colleagues, your friends, your family and your lover. As long as they are not victims, they can tolerate anybody else’s tragedy.”

– “When can we freely express our feelings without using all the code words?@Huangkui HK: *You know it, everybody knows it.
*You know it: 你懂的 (nidongde) is an internet lingo to express the mutual understanding of sensitive topics without having to mention the sensitive words.”

– “#Tomb-sweeping Day# Quote from Han Han: He is one of a kind among the artists in China, he is dealing with everything with the attitude of a naughty kid. He cares about the vegetables and grains, he cares about freedom and children. I haven’t participated in his “Middle Finger Competition” yet. Although he is an artist, his actions are the best piece of art dedicated to modern China. [Image: Grass-Mud Horse is *“blocking the center”]”
*“Blocking the center” has the same pinyin as 党中央 (“dangzhongyang” – CCP Central Committee)

– “Quote from Xiaoyao Recluse: We sincerely apologize that the event – To celebrate the 80th year of the Communist Party’s founding, we hold a special event of “Love the future, Fuck the kingdom” – has been removed from our website. The reason is: It includes the unwelcome context which violates the principles of the Douban community. @Douban”

– “Since they have the guts to brag that Sina Microblogging site won’t be shut down for the next 20 years, they should have not sent the private messages and mail to users, asking them to shut their mouths. Building their confidence on the efficiency of implementing government orders and excellent self-censorship skills, this is fawning to the old system but wronging the future. Love the future, earning the future. Good night.”

– “Justice doesn’t die; faith is forever. Love the future!”

– “Love life; Love your dreams; Love freedom; Love the future! Good night!”

– “Have you loved the future today?”